MINSK, March 28. /TASS/. Belarusian Air Force personnel training how to operate aircraft with specific munitions and the deployment of nuclear charges on the republic’s territory do not contradict international law, in particular, the nuclear non-proliferation treaty, the press office of the Belarusian Foreign Ministry told TASS on Tuesday.
"Belarus and Russia implement their military cooperation in strict compliance with international law. The training of Belarusian pilots capable of flying aircraft with specific munitions, modernization of these aircraft and, likewise, the deployment of nuclear charges on the territory of Belarus without the transfer of control of them and also access to the corresponding technologies to Minsk do not in any way contradict articles I and II of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons," the Foreign Ministry said, responding to a question about the over-exaggerated reaction of some states to the reports on the prospects of deploying Russian tactical nuclear weapons in the republic.
This practice "is not new in the sphere of military cooperation between a non-nuclear state and a nuclear power," the Belarusian Foreign Ministry pointed out.
"NATO has long been using the practice of ‘nuclear sharing’ and aircraft of the alliance’s member states are certified for flights with nuclear weapons while the flight personnel are trained for such ‘arrangements’ and corresponding drills are held. Over 150 US tactical nuclear weapons are stored on the territory of NATO’s European member states and more than 250 airplanes have been prepared for their possible employment," the ministry said.
Russian President Vladimir Putin announced on March 25 that at Minsk’s request Moscow would deploy its tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus similar to what the United States has long been doing on the territory of its allies.
Moscow has already provided Minsk with Iskander tactical missile systems capable of carrying nuclear weapons. As the Russian leader pointed out, the construction of storage facilities for tactical nuclear weapons would be completed on Belarusian territory on July 1.